Code division multiple access (CDMA) inbound messaging system utilizing over-the-air programming

Abstract

A method for receiving and processing data in a portable transceiver (20) comprises the steps of receiving (320) at least one information signal and decoding (325) the at least one information signal to recover information included therein. The method further comprises the steps of generating (345) a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence in accordance with the information.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for receiving and processing data in a portable transceiver, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving at least one information signal;   (b) decoding the at least one information signal to recover information included therein; and   (c) generating a plurality of pseudo-noise (PN) sequences in accordance with the information, wherein each of the plurality of PN sequences is indicative of a predetermined response.   
     
     
       2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of: (d) transmitting a first of the PN sequences as a spread spectrum signal, wherein the first of the PN sequences is indicative of a first predetermined response.   
     
     
       3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein: step (b) comprises the step of: (e) decoding the at least one information signal to recover a plurality of seeds included therein; and     step (c) comprises the step of: (g) generating the PN sequences in accordance with the seeds recovered from the at least one information signal.     
     
     
       4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the steps of: (h) decoding the at least one information signal to recover the plurality of seeds included therein, wherein each of the plurality of seeds is associated with one of the predetermined responses; and (i) storing the plurality of seeds.     
     
     
       5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein: the method further comprises the step of: determining that a first selected one of the predetermined responses is to be transmitted, wherein the number of the predetermined responses is equivalent to the number of seeds included within the plurality of seeds;     (j) retrieving a first seed included within the stored plurality of seeds at a first time, wherein the first seed is associated with the first selected one of the predetermined responses; and   step (c) comprises the step of: (k) generating a first PN sequence in accordance with the first seed, wherein the first PN sequence is indicative of the first selected one of the predetermined responses.     
     
     
       6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein step (j) occurs in response to the further step of: (l) receiving, prior to step (j), a user input selecting the selected one of the predetermined responses.   
     
     
       7. The method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising the steps of: (m) transmitting the first PN sequence as a first spread spectrum signal.   
     
     
       8. The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising the steps of: (m1) determining that a second selected one of the predetermined responses is to be transmitted;   (n) retrieving a second seed included within the stored plurality of seeds at a second time, wherein the second seed is associated with the second selected one of the predetermined responses;   (o) generating a second PN sequence in accordance with the second seed, wherein the second PN sequence is indicative of the second selected one of the predetermined responses; and   (p) transmitting the second PN sequence as a second spread spectrum signal.   
     
     
       9. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the step of: (q) decoding the at least one information signal to recover information included therein, wherein the information comprises at least first and second seeds and a message intended for reception by the portable transceiver.   
     
     
       10. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of: (r) determining whether the message has been received accurately;   (s) generating, in response to determining that the message has been received accurately, a first pseudo-noise (PN) sequence in accordance with the first seed; and   (t) generating, in response to determining that the message has not been received accurately, a second PN sequence in accordance with the second seed.   
     
     
       11. The method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising the steps of: (u) transmitting, in response to step (s), the first PN sequence as a first spread spectrum signal; and   (v) transmitting, in response to step (t), the second PN sequence as a second spread spectrum signal.   
     
     
       12. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein: step (a) comprises the step of: (w) receiving first and second radio frequency (RF) signals; and     step (b) comprises the steps of: (x) decoding the first RF signal to recover a first amount of information included therein; and   (y) decoding the second RF signal to recover a second amount of information included therein.     
     
     
       13. The method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising the step of: (z) determining the signal strengths of the first and second RF signals.   
     
     
       14. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of: (aa) generating, when the first RF signal is determined to be stronger than the second RF signal, the plurality of PN sequences in accordance with the first amount of information; and   (bb) generating, when the second RF signal is determined to be stronger than the first RF signal, the plurality of PN sequences in accordance with the second amount of information.   
     
     
       15. The method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising the steps of: (cc) transmitting, in response to step (aa), a first PN sequence as a first spread spectrum signal, wherein the first PN sequence is included in the plurality of PN sequences generated in accordance with the first amount of information, and wherein the first PN sequence is indicative of a selected predetermined response; and   (dd) transmitting, in response to step (bb), a second PN sequence as a second spread spectrum signal, wherein the second PN sequence is included in the plurality of PN sequences generated in accordance with the second amount of information, and wherein the second PN sequence is indicative of a selected predetermined response.   
     
     
       16. A portable transceiver for receiving and processing data, comprising: a receiver for receiving radio frequency (RF) signals;   a decoder coupled to the receiver for decoding information included within the RF signals; and   a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence generator coupled to the decoder for utilizing the information to generate a plurality of PN sequences in accordance with the information, wherein the plurality of PN sequences is indicative of a plurality of predetermined responses.   
     
     
       17. The portable transceiver in accordance with claim 16, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the PN sequence generator for transmitting the PN sequences as spread spectrum signals responsive to predetermined responses which are to be transmitted. 
     
     
       18. The portable transceiver in accordance with claim 17, wherein: the information comprises a plurality of seeds, wherein each of the plurality of seeds is associated with one of the plurality of predetermined responses; and   the portable transceiver further comprises a memory for storing the plurality of seeds.   
     
     
       19. The portable transceiver in accordance with claim 18, further comprising selection circuitry coupled to the memory and the PN sequence generator for selecting a seed included within the plurality of seeds in accordance with a selected predetermined response, wherein: the PN sequence generator receives the selected seed and utilizes the selected seed to generate a PN sequence in accordance with the selected seed; and   the transmitter transmits the PN sequence generated in accordance with the selected seed as a spread spectrum signal, wherein the PN sequence is indicative of the selected predetermined response.   
     
     
       20. The portable transceiver in accordance with claim 16, further comprising: signal strength measuring circuitry for determining the strengths of the RF signals and for indicating a strongest RF signal included within the RF signals; and   a memory for storing a plurality of seeds included within the strongest RF signal, wherein each of the plurality of seeds is associated with one of the plurality of predetermined responses.   
     
     
       21. The portable transceiver in accordance with claim 20, wherein the PN sequence generator utilizes at least one seed included within the plurality of seeds to generate at least one PN sequence in accordance with the at least one seed, wherein the at least one PN sequence is indicative of at least one predetermined response which is associated with the at least one seed. 
     
     
       22. The portable transceiver in accordance with claim 21, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting the at least one PN sequence as at least one spread spectrum signal. 
     
     
       23. The portable transceiver in accordance with claim 16, wherein: the information includes at least first and second seeds and a message intended for reception by the portable transceiver, wherein the first and second seeds are associated with first and second predetermined responses;   the portable transceiver further comprises: a memory coupled to the decoder for storing the first and second seeds and the message;   error detection circuitry coupled to the memory for determining whether the message has been received accurately; and   seed selection circuitry coupled to the error detection circuitry and the memory for selecting the first seed in response to a determination that the message has been received accurately and for selecting the second seed in response to a determination that the message has not been received accurately; and     the PN sequence generator utilizes the first seed to generate a first PN sequence in accordance with the first seed when the seed selection circuitry selects the first seed and utilizes the second seed to generate a second PN sequence in accordance with the second seed when the seed selection circuitry selects the second seed.   
     
     
       24. A method for providing data to a portable transceiver included in a communication system, the communication system further comprising a plurality of base stations for providing the data to the portable transceiver, the method comprising the steps of: (a) the plurality of base stations transmitting information signals comprising an address associated with the portable transceiver and a plurality of seeds, wherein each base station included in the plurality of base stations transmits at least first and second unique seeds included in the plurality of seeds, and wherein the first and second unique seeds are associated, respectively, with first and second predetermined responses;   (b) the portable transceiver receiving the information signals transmitted by base stations having coverage areas in which the portable transceiver is located;   (c) the portable transceiver selecting a base station having a coverage area in which the portable transceiver is located;   (d) the portable transceiver decoding the information signal transmitted by the selected base station to recover the first and second unique seeds included in the information signal transmitted by the selected base station; and   (e) the portable transceiver utilizing the first and second unique seeds to generate first and second pseudo-noise (PN) sequences in accordance with the first and second unique seeds, wherein the first and second PN sequences are indicative of the first and second predetermined responses, respectively.   
     
     
       25. The method in accordance with claim 24, further comprising the step of: (e1) the portable transceiver determining which of the first and second predetermined responses is to be transmitted and selecting one of the first and second PN sequences accordingly;   (f) the portable transceiver transmitting the selected one of the first and second PN sequences as a spread spectrum signal; and   (g) the selected base station receiving and decoding the spread spectrum signal to recover the transmitted PN sequence.   
     
     
       26. The method in accordance with claim 24, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of: (h) the portable transceiver determining the signal strengths of each of the information signals; and   (i) the portable transceiver selecting a base station which transmitted a strongest information signal.   
     
     
       27. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein; the method further comprises the steps of: (j) the selected base station transmitting, prior to step (e), a message signal comprising a selective call message intended for reception by the portable transceiver; and   (k) the portable transceiver receiving and decoding, in response to step (j), the message signal to recover the selective call message; and     step (e1) comprises the steps of; (l) the portable transceiver determining whether the selective call message has been received accurately;   (m) the portable transceiver, if the message has been received accurately, utilizing the first unique seed to generate the first PN sequence in accordance therewith; and   (n) the portable transceiver, if the message has not been received accurately, utilizing the second unique seed to generate the second PN sequence in accordance therewith.     
     
     
       28. A communication system for providing two-way communication, comprising: a base station having a coverage area in which information is transmitted, the information comprising a plurality of seeds associated with predetermined responses; and   a portable transceiver located in the coverage area for receiving the information and decoding the information to recover the plurality of seeds, wherein the portable transceiver utilizes one of the plurality of seeds to generate a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence in accordance therewith, wherein the PN sequence is indicative of a selected predetermined response.   
     
     
       29. The communication system in accordance with claim 28, wherein: the portable transceiver further transmits the PN sequence as a spread spectrum signal; and   the base station receives and decodes the spread spectrum signal to recover the PN sequence from which the selected predetermined response can be determined.   
     
     
       30. The communication system in accordance with claim 28, wherein: the information comprises a message and first and second seeds; and   the portable transceiver receives and decodes the information to recover the message and the first and second seeds, wherein the portable transceiver determines whether the message has been received accurately.   
     
     
       31. The communication system in accordance with claim 30, wherein the portable transceiver utilizes, when the message has been received accurately, the first seed to generate a first PN sequence in accordance with the first seed and utilizes, when the message has not been received accurately, the second seed to generate a second PN sequence in accordance with the second seed.